One of the most popular accessories for trucks and recreational vehicles is a truck box used to store and secure a variety of tools and other items. There are a number of different types of truck boxes, including cross-over boxes, sidemount boxes, chest boxes, topmount boxes, RV boxes and others. Each truck box is typically formed of aluminum treadplate, and comprises a front wall, a back wall, a bottom wall and opposed end walls which are interconnected by welding to form a hollow interior. The truck box interior is closed by a top wall or lid pivotal on a hinge between an open position and a closed position, usually with the assistance of gas springs.
In order to lock the lid and secure the contents of the truck box, most aluminum truck boxes include a pair of paddle latches mounted at opposite ends of the front wall in position to releasably engage a corresponding pair of striker bars carried by the lid. Each paddle latch has a latch element which is pivotal between a closed position in which it engages one of the striker bars of the lid, and an open position wherein the striker bar is released to permit the lid to be opened. The latch elements of the paddle latches must be moved to the open and closed positions simultaneously, and this is achieved in most truck box designs by an operating rod extending along the front wall within the interior of the box between the two paddle latches. The operating rod is connected at its opposite ends to respective paddle latches, so that side-to-side movement of the operating rod in one direction causes the latch elements of the paddle latches to pivot to the open position whereas movement of the operating rod in the opposite direction pivots the latch elements to the closed position.
There are a number of deficiencies with current designs of operating rods of the type described above. In most instances, the operating rod extends linearly between the paddle latches in an exposed location within the truck box interior along its front wall. This not only detracts visually from the overall appearance of the box, but in such exposed position the operating rod can be bent or disconnected from the paddle latches when tools or other items are loaded into or unloaded from the box interior. Additionally, the operating rod reduces the usable space within the interior of the truck box. Moreover, in most truck box designs, the operating rod is supported only at its ends where it is connected to the paddle latches. As a result, the center section of the operating rod can strike the front wall of the box as the vehicle to which the box is mounted is being driven, creating noise which is unacceptable to the vehicle operator.